Apparatus for forming groups of flat objects

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for forming groups of flat objects which are transferred individually from a transfer conveyor comprising an horizontal axis drum. The drum consists of a cylindrical wall having an upper aperture and two parallel plates disposed in diametrical positions to the upper aperture and provided with opposing apertures for the discharge of the objects. The drum is supported on a coaxially shaft and is driven with intermittent motion. Between the plates and angularly distributed on the shaft there are provided seats opening radially outwards in such a manner that at each angular movement of the shaft the seats are accessible through the upper aperture and the opposing apertures of the plates. Through the upper aperture a tray acting as mobil base for the objects is made to descend in steps towards the support shaft while push means driven parallel to the shaft penetrate through the opposing apertures of the plates for expelling the objects. The tray and push means are controlled by a counter which measures the number of objects introduced through the upper aperture.

United States Patent 1191 Gardini et a1.

[ Oct. 21,1975

[75] Inventors: Mario Gardini; Roberto Tabarrmi,

both of Bologna. ltaly [73] Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni MaeehineAutomatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A., Bologna, Italy [221 Filed: May 6, 1974 1211Appl. No.: 467,526

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,553,815 1/1971 McElvy 1.29/211 R 3,755.87] 9/1973 Nelson 29/211 R Primary ExaminerVictor A.DiPalma Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Guido Modiano; Albert Josit [57]ABSTRACT Apparatus for forming groups of llat objects which aretransferred individually from a transfer conveyor comprising anhorizontal axis drum. The drum consists of a cylindrical wall having anupper aperture and two parallel plates disposed in diametrical positionsto the upper aperture and provided with opposing apertures for thedischarge of the objects. The drum is sup ported on a eoaxially shaftand is driven with intermit tent motion. Between the plates andangularly distrib uted on the shaft there are provided seats openingradially outwards in such a manner that at each angular movement of theshaft the seats are accessihle through the upper aperture and theopposing apertures of the plates. Through the upper aperture a trayacting as mobil base for the objects is made to descend in steps towardsthe support shaft while push means driven parallel to the shaftpenetrate through the opposing apertures of the plates for expelling theobjects. The tray and push means are controlled by a counter whichmeasures the number of objects introduced through the upper aperture.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct.21,1975 Sheet1of3 3,913,203

US Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 2 of 3 3,913,203

U.S. Patent 0a. 21, 1975 Sheet 3 of 3 3,913,203

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MN mg mm. Vm Sm BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Said figures, and in particular FIG. 1, show a first Thisinvention relates to an apparatus f f i portion 1 of a transfer conveyorwhich transfers the obgroups of flat objects which are transferredindividually from a transfer conveyor. The invention is particularlysuitable for forming groups of envelopes to be inserted into a boxing orcartoning machine.

Depending upon the format of the envelopes and the number of envelopesscheduled to form each of said groups, it is sometimes convenient forthe envelopes of the groups inserted into the cartons to be arrangedstanding up, i.e., vertically side by side, and at other timesconvenient for the envelopes to be arranged face down, i.e., one on theother.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is toprovide an apparatus for forming groups of flat objects and for feedingthem face down and/or standing up to a packaging machine.

The said object is attained by an apparatus for forming groups of flatobjects which are transferred individually from a transfer conveyor,comprising a drum of horizontal axis consisting of a cylindrical wallprovided with an upper aperture, and two parallel plates provided withopposing apertures disposed in diametrical positions at right angles tothe upper aperture, a shaft driven with intermittent motion andsupported coaxially to said drum, a plurality of seats angularlydistributed on said shaft and disposed between said plates, said seatsopening radially outwards and axially towards the plates in such amanner that at each angular movement of the shaft, said seats areaccessible through the upper aperture of the cylindrical wall and theopposing apertures of the plates, a support tray for the objects actingas a mobile base for the seat accessible through the upper aperture,said tray being made to descend in steps equal to the thickness of theobjects from a position close to the upper aperture of the cylindricalwall to a position close to the support shaft for the seats, and puchmeans driven parallel to said shaft and penetrating through the opposingapertures of the plates for expelling the objects from the seat alignedwith said apertures during pauses in the rotation of the drum, said trayand said push means being controlled by a counter which measures thenumber of objects introduced through the upper aperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Further particulars of the invention will be more evident from thedescription of one embodiment illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 of drawing I is a partially sectional diagrammatic longitudinalelevational view of the apparatus accordinng to the invention;

FIG. 2 of drawing II is a vertical section on the line Il-II of FIG. 3through the control means for said apparatus;

FIG. 3 of drawing III is a vertical view on the line III- --III of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 of drawing III is a transverse view on the line IVIV of FIG. 1.

jects which leave at a regular rate from a known delivery machine, notshown. A delivery machine of this type is a packeting machine, whichforms, fills and closes envelopes. At the outlet of the packagingmachine, the envelopes 2 fall onto a surface consisting of a series ofparallel segments 3 positioned above the upper branches of chains 4,which travel with continuous motion in the direction indicated by thearrow A. The chains 4 pass around respective gear wheels mounted on apair of shafts supported by the base of the packaging machine. FIG. Ishows one of such shafts, 5, and the gear wheels 6 keyed on to it. Onthe same shaft there is also keyed a gear wheel 7 which is driven by thedrive system for the packaging machine. To the chains 4 are articulatedteeth 8 which, along the upper path of the chains, intersect thesegments 3 and are kept in the active position by tracks 9. Each time anenvelope 2 leaves the packaging machine, a group of teeth 8 (in FIG. 1only one of these groups is shown) acts on its rear edge and drags theenvelope on the segments 3 to the shaft 5. From here the envelope isremoved by the teeth 10 of the chains 11 of the second portion l2 of thetransfer conveyor. The chains 11 pass around the gear wheels 13 keyed onthe shaft 14, and around the gear wheels 15 of the shaft 16. The shaft14 is supported by the bed of the packaging machine above the shaft 5and it receives its continuous rotation from this latter by way of thegear 17 which intermeshes with the gear 7. The supports of the shaft 14carry in an oscillating manner one of the ends of the side walls 18 ofthe second portion I2 of the transfer conveyor. The other end of theside walls idly support said shaft 16. The angular position of the sidewalls 18 about the axis of the shaft 14, and therefore the level ofdischarge of the envelopes 2 form the chains 11, is determined by abridge support 19, which is mounted on a bracket 20 which will bedescribed hereinafter. Pins 22 are engaged in vertical elongated slots21 in the arms of the support 19, and these pins also engage inlongitudinal elongated slots 23 in the side walls 18, so forming a linkengagement between the side walls and the support. The teeth 10 of thelower branches of the chains 11 advance in the direction indicated bythe arrow B, and drag the envelopes along the underlying segments 24which are aligned with the segments 3. The teeth 10 intersect thesegments 24 and are kept in the active position by the tracks 25. Thesegments 24 and tracks 25 are supported parallel to the lower branchesof the chains 11 by the side walls 18 and terminate at the upperaperture 26 of a drum 27-28, so that the envelopes 2 enter the sameaperture flatly one after the other. The drum consists of two annularvertical plates 27, with each of which is rigid a cylindrical wall 28having an horizontal axis transverse to the transfer conveyor 1, 12. Thetwo cylindrical walls 28 which have the same radius and projectagainstone another from the plates 27 are preferably transparent. The plates 27are centrally traversed by the shaft 29 and their position along thisshaft can be adjusted by four pins 30 which are parallel to the shaft 29and project from a part 31 (FIG. 4), of a casing 32 (FIG. 2) which isrigid with said bracket 20.

On that portion of the shaft 29 which is external to the casing 32 andtraverses the plates 27, there are rigidly mounted two correspondinghubs 33 with a square flange. To each of the sides of the flanges arefixed by screws the bases of respective stirrups 34 of U-shape, the armsof which have their ends approximately tangential to the cylindricalwalls 28. Uelements 35, each comprising two parallel flat portions orarms and a base, are fixed on the inner edge of the stirrups 34 andproject inwards the drum. The arms and base of opposite elements 35 andin alignment with one another and define a space between them. Theelements 35 and stir rups 34 thus form about the shaft 29 four seatswhich are open towards the walls 28 and the plates 27, and are arrangedto contain a pile ofa predetermined number of envelopes 2.

A plate 36, provided laterally to the bracket 20 and supported in acantilever manner by the arm 36a, comprises at its front verticalsleeves 37 in which the rod 38 is slidably guided, by way of bushes offriction material. The plate 36 and rod 38 are located between theopposite plates 27. At its summit the rod 38 supports the tray 39 in acantilever manner, located under the inlet aperture 26 of the drum 27-28and forming a mobile base for the seat formed by the pair of stirrups34, and which when at rest is immediately under the aperture 26. Asshown in FIG. 4, the ends 39a of the tray 39 are restricted so that theycan pass through corresponding openings in the bases of the elements 35.in this man ner, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 4, the tray candescend slightly under these bases.

One suitably shaped end of a rocker arm 40 acts against the lower end ofthe rod 38 for raising the tray 39 as far as the aperture 26. The rockerarm 40 is pivoted at 41 to an appendix of the bracket 20, and its otherend is linked to a tie rod 42 which is linked at 43 to the rocker arm 44(FIGS. 2 and 3). The rocker arm 44 is pivoted at 45 to the inside of thecasing 32, and at its free end carries the roller 46 which, as explainedhereinafter, engages with the shaped edge of the cam 47. Normally rockerarm 44 is kept resting, by a spring not shown, against an abutment whichis also not shown.

The arm 48a of a rod bent in the form of an inverted U descends towardsthe aperture 26. The arm 480 carries lowerly the pushing plate 49 whichpenetrates into the aperture 26. The other vertical arm 4812 (FIG. 2) ofsaid rod is slidably guided in casing 32. inside the casing the a clamp50 is fastened on the arm 48b and is articulatedly coupled at 51 to thetie rod 52, which is articulatedly coupled to the lever 53. This leveris pivoted at 54 to the casing 32 and supports the roller 55 which isalways in engagement with the frontal shaped groove of the cam 56 keyedon to the shaft 57. The shaft 57, parallel to the shaft 29 and rotatablysupported by the casing 32, is rotated continuously. Under the action ofthe cam 56, the pushing plate 49 makes an ascent-descent stroke with thesame frequency as the packaging machine. In this manner as soon as anenvelope 2 arrives at the aperture 26, the pushing plate 49 descends,engages the envelope and drags it downwards for a distance practicallyequal to the thickness of the envelope.

The envelope penetrates into the underlying seat formed by a pair ofstirrups 34 and elements 35 and lies on the pile of other envelopesalready there. Correspondingly the tray 39 supporting the pile ofenvelopes descends through a distance equal to the thickness of oneenvenope as the friction between the rod 38 and its guides is overcomeby the thrust exerted on the envelopes by the pushing plate 49. As soonas the pushing plate 49 has carried out its descending stroke, it risesagain so as not to interfere with the new arriving envelope.

The control means in the casing 32 receive their motion from the shaft58 which is driven with continuous rotation by the motor of thepackaging machine and is idly supported by the casing itself. Inside thecasing, the shaft 58 ends with the bevel gear 59 which is keyed on toit, and which engages with the bevel gear 60 keyed on to the shaft 61.The shaft 61 is parallel to the shafts 29 and 57 and is rotatablysupported by the casing 32. The same shaft has keyed on to it an axialcam 62 and a gear 63 which engages with the gear 64 keyed on to theshaft 57. The disc 65 is rotatably rigid with the shaft 57 but can slideaxially on it. The disc 65 is rigid with the cam 47 by means of anintermediate bush comprising an annular groove 66. A radial arm is fixedto the disc 65 and carries at the end external to the disc a roller 67which engages and drives the Maltese cross 68 keyed on the shaft 29,when the disc 65 is at the end of the working stroke in which the cam 47is engaged by the roller 46. At the other end of the stroke, in whichthe roller 67 and cam 47 are inactive although rotating, the Maltesecross cannot rotate because it is engaged by the periphery of the disc65. [n the periphery of the disc 65 there is a cavity in the form of asector 65a, which enables the Maltese cross to rotate when it is engagedby the roller 67.

The groove 66 is engaged by the pin 69 coupled to one end of the lever70, which is fixed to the shaft 71 supported in an oscillating manner bythe casing 32. At the other end of the lever there is a roller 72 whichengages with the cam 62 under the action of the traction spring 73, theends of which are fixed to an appendix of the lever and to the casing32. The lever 74 is also rigid with the shaft 71, and normally rests ona tooth 75 which can assume a withdrawn position by the action of anelectric magnet 76. The energizing of the electric magnet is controlledby a counter, not shown, which receives the impulses fed by a devicesensitive to the envelopes which arrive at the aperture 26 dragged bythe chains 11. When the counter ascertains that the number of envelopeswhich have reached the aperture 26 is sufficient to fill the seat 34, 35located under it, the counter energises the electric magnet 76 socausing the tooth 75 to withdraw. In this manner the lever passes underthe control of the cam 62 which brings the disc 65 to said end of theworking stroke. The Maltese cross 68 and the shaft 29 thus makeone-quarter of a turn in the direction indicated by the arrow C, and anew seat to be filled is brought under the aperture 26. The cam 47immediately causes the support tray 39 to rise for supporting the newpile of envelopes. The lever 74 is returned upwards by the cam 62 andcan thus again hook on to the tooth which, as the electric magnet 76becomes de-energized, reassumes the extracted position under the actionof a not shown return spring.

The group of envelopes formed in the filled seat must now be discharged.According to requirements, the group has to be discharged either withthe envelopes face downwards or upright. The discharge position mustalways be the same as the inlet position of the known cartoning machine,in which the envelopes are introduced in boxes and which is disposedbeside the drum 2728 on the side opposite the casing 32. This positionis indicated by D. When the envelopes are to be discharged facedownwards, as shown in FIG. 1, the expulsion of the envelopes from theseat takes place when the seat is at rest in a position at 180 to theposition in which it was filled. When the envelopes are to be dischargedupright, expulsion takes place when the seat has reached a position at90 to the filling position. ln this latter case, to obtain the dischargeposition at D, the bracket is lowered and laterally displaced towardsthe first portion 1 of the transfer conveyor. The bracket 20 is in factslidably guided vertically in the upright 77, and its position can beadjusted by a screw the handwheel of which is indicated by 78. Theupright 77 is guided on the bed '79 and is slidable with respect to itin the horizontal direction parallel to the transfer conveyor 1, 12. Theposition of the upright 77 in respect to the bed 79 can be adjusted bythe screw 80, using the operating handwheel 81. Because of the twopositions which the bracket 20 can assume, the shaft 58 is driven fromthe drive system of the packaging machine by means of a transmissionsystem comprising at least one chain. In the drum plates 27, inpositions corresponding with the angular position in which the group ofenvelopes is discharged, there are two opposing passages 82 into whichthe expulsion pusher 83 penetrates. This pusher, which is usuallysupplied with the cartoning machines, is driven with reciprocatingmotion in a direction parallel to the shaft 29, and is controlled bysaid envelope counter, which also controls the start of each cycle ofthe cartoning machine.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for forming groups of flat objects which are transferredindividually from a transfer conveyor, comprising a drum of horizontalaxis consisting of a cylindrical wall provided with an upper aperture,and two parallel plates provided with opposing apertures dis posed indiametrical positions at right angles to the upper aperture, a shaftdriven with intermittent motion and supported coaxially to said drum, aplurality of seats angularly distributed on said shaft and disposedbetween said plates, said seats opening radially outwards and axiallytowards the plates in such a manner that at each angular movement of theshaft, said seats are accessible through the upper aperture of thecylindrical wall and the opposing apertures of the plates, a supporttray for the objects acting as a mobile base for the seat accessiblethrough the upper aperture, said tray being made to descend in stepsequal to the thickness of the objects from a position close to the upperaperture of the cylindrical wall to a position close to the supportshaft for the seats, and push means driven parallel to said shaft andpenetrating through the opposing apertures of the plates for expellingthe objects from the seat aligned with said apertures during pauses inthe rotation of the drum, said tray and said push means being controlledby a counter which measures the number of objects introduced through theupper aperture.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the drum and the shaftcomprising the seats are supported by a bracket guided vertically in anupright which is guided horizontally in a bed, means being provided forthe vertical and horizontal adjustment of said bracket and said uprightrespectively.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a rod slidable verticallyin a guide by way of friction means and supporting at its upper end thesupport tray for the objects, said rod being disposed between the platesof the drum, and a pusher driven with reciprocating motion and arrangedto penetrate through the upper aperture into the seat aligned with saidaperture, the descent stroke of the pusher being controlled by a counterin such a manner as to increase the descent of the tray by the thicknessof one object for each object introduced into the seat and to positivelycontrol the descent of the tray, each of said seats comprising a pair ofstirrup elements fixed to said shaft and having parallel arms lying inplanes perpendicular to said shaft, and a pair of U-shaped elements eachformed by two parallel flat portions and one flat base fixed in theinside of said stirrup elements, the portions and base of the U- shapedelement associated with one stirrup element being in alignment withthose associated with the other stirrup element and spaced apart fromone another to form a passage for the rod which carries the tray.

1. Apparatus for forming groups of flat objects which are transferredindividually from a transfer conveyor, comprising a drum of horizontalaxis consisting of a cylindrical wall provided with an upper aperture,and two parallel plates provided with opposing apertures disposed indiametrical positions at right angles to the upper aperture, a shaftdriven with intermittent motion and supported coaxially to said drum, aplurality of seats angularly distributed on said shaft and disposedbetween said plates, said seats opening radially outwards and axiallytowards the plates in such a manner that at each angular movement of theshaft, said seats are accessible through the upper aperture of thecylindrical wall and the opposing apertures of the plates, a supporttray for the objects acting as a mobile base for the seat accessiblethrough the upper aperture, said tray being made to descend in stepsequal to the thickness of the objects from a position close to the upperaperture of the cylindrical wall to a position close to the supportshaft for the seats, and push means driven parallel to said shaft andpenetrating through the opposing apertures of the plates for expellingthe objects from the seat aligned with said apertures during pauses inthe rotation of the drum, said tray and said push means being controlledby a counter which measures the number of objects introduced through theupper aperture.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the drumand the shaft comprising the seats are supported by a bracket guidedvertically in an upright which is guided horizontally in a bed, meansbeing provided for the vertical and horizontal adjustment of saidbracket and said upright respectively.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim1, comprising a rod slidable vertically in a guide by way of frictionmeans and supporting at its upper end the support tray for the objects,said rod being disposed between the plates of the drum, and a pusherdriven with reciprocating motion and arranged to penetrate through theupper aperture into the seat aligned with said aperture, the descentstroke of the pusher being controlled by a counter in such a manner asto increase the descent of the tray by the thickness of one object foreach object introduced into the seat and to positively control thedescent of the tray, each of said seats comprising a pair of stirrupelements fixed to said shaft and having parallel arms lying in planesperpendicular to said shaft, and a pair of U-shaped elements each formedby two parallel flat portions and one flat base fixed in the inside ofsaid stirrup elements, the portions and base of the U-shaped elementassociated with one stirrup element being in alignment with thoseassociated with the other stirrup element and spaced apart from oneanother to form a passage for the rod which carries the tray.